The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-06-29
Hnncman's Day in Georgia.

The execution of the three Georgia murder
crs on Friday Is not evidence ofsr"e prevail.
ence of crime, but rather of the certainty OIL
the punishment under onr legal SSs,e1 FHut Hut
one was postponed by an appear 10 TIC SUI
prcme court. ,,,, 4, -..
,...,. wary heart the fact that murder III
Georgia Is uye,., Il -, death, and that lie who
takes mans life will find his own life ineXora-
bly, demanded by that state. 1t is the Ger
We may hope, therefore. for many years 10
pass before we see three men hung for dilier-
ent crimes in different part of the state on The
same lay.-.1Hdntn Constitution.
1t will be a proud day for South Carolina
when this State furni ishes some protection 10
the life her citizens. The records OF tue past
ten years show, under Democratic rule, that
we have almost no protection for human llie.
Great numbers of our citizens have peen
slain, and as q rule, they were OF tho lnonen-
sive and harmless class. If the reader mas
any doubt of this, let him run through his
mind the various murders that nave come
within his knowledge. 1t Is nearly always
the case that the inoffensive citizen Is shot by
men who have, it may be, never shown any
disposItion to assail men Of well known cour-
age. If any man knows of case where
-~
another of like reputation, he can place the
instance to the credit side OF the statement
that, as rule, it is the inoffensive men VINO
are killed. Take for instance, the case OF the
killing Of ]. Lafey ette Hamblin last week In
Orangcburg. His murderers came to his
house and shot him in his own room While ne
was putting on his pantaloons, and the father
of the slayer stabbed him with big knife
seven times after he had received the fatal
shot. Humblin was known as one or the
most peaceabe men in existence. VIII Ine
courts of South Carolina punish the MURDER
ers Of this inoffensive citizen? We will see
Scores of equally guilty parties have hereto
fore escaped. The chances are that II Ham.
blin had been armed and had been known 70
have been dangerous man his murderers
would never have moested him. Docs any
body know of an instance where q "danger'
ousn citizen has been killed? Do not murder
ers usually make their calculations so as to
be perfectly safe in attempting the lie ol
their victim? A little wholesome enforce
ment Of the law against red handed murder
ers in South Carolina will do something to-
ward suppressng crime. But this enforce
ment we do not expect as long ms our Judges
continue TO give murderers Of every degree
instant bail in nominal sums. even Whlle
their hands are yet dripping with innocent
blood. If the law in Orangeburg is no better
enforced than it is in the up-country, Ham
blin's murderers, being white men, will suffer
but little inconvenience from the commits
sion of their atrocious crime. Some
kind hearted judge, perhaps, before this time
has, or will, bail them in the usual sum, OF
81, 500, and jury may be picked who will
acquit.
When the State of South Carolina, under
Democrat rule shall have the courage to en-
| force her laws against white men for murder,
fewer inoffensive men like Hamblin will be
shot by craven towards and heartless assas'
SINS